Interior Ministry enforces strict security measures ahead of PTI’s November 24 protest

ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry has decided to implement “strict measures” to deal with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest on November 24.

Legal action will be taken against those involved in any disturbance and security agencies have been directed to be fully prepared.

The ministry has directed security forces to increase security at all government and important buildings and has ordered heavy deployment of personnel in such areas.

According to an interior ministry spokesperson, cancellation of academic certificates and admissions of students involved in any disruptive activities during the protest is also being considered.

Furthermore, the ministry is examining the possibility of cancelling passports and identity cards of those identified as troublemakers during the PTI protest, as well as blocking their SIM cards.

It has started monitoring suspicious locations to deal with potential terror threats, and work is also underway to install geo-fencing in Afghan refugee camps.

Meanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram criticized the government, saying it was in a state of “fear and panic” regarding the upcoming protest on November 24. “We are used to these tactics,” he said.

Akram pointed out that the imposition of Section 144 for two months showed the government’s “fear” of the PTI. “We know how to handle all these tactics,” he added.

He added that the government was deploying heavy security forces in Islamabad, alleging that many of such personnel were likely to be PTI voters themselves.

The PTI leader condemned the alleged attempts by the Interior Ministry to intimidate the public, calling restrictions on student admissions and blocking of identity cards and mobile SIMs “outdated tactics.”

He claimed that people from all provinces would participate in the protest and appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to play a role in the matter.

Akram criticized the new tax policies as a “significant burden” on landlords and warned that the government’s anti-farmer stance in Punjab would have “negative repercussions” for all provinces. He said Punjab farmers could not take their goods to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to check points.

He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur did not seek permission from the former prime minister to join the talks. Instead, Akram added that the KP chief minister informed the party chairman about the plans for the convoy leaving the province.

The PTI leader revealed that Gandapur asked what he would do if the government demanded talks. According to him, Khan replied that he could hold talks if his demands were met.

The PTI founder stressed that “anyone who wants to hold talks should come to him directly,” he said and claimed that Khan concluded the meeting with instructions that “they should protest at all costs.”

He mentioned that the message from the MNAs and MPAs regarding the number of participants was from the former chairman, warning that if they did not meet the required number, there would be no place for them in the party.